1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for image forming and image developing, and more particularly to an apparatus for image forming and image developing which have an improvement of a toner container holding mechanism.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, a printing machine, and so on forms an image in a specific procedure of an electrophotographic method. That is, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrying member such as a photosensitive drum and is subsequently developed with toner into a visual toner image. After that, the toner image is transferred and fixed onto a recording sheet. Thereby, an image is produced.
To develop an image, a development agent including the toner is used. There are two types of development agent: a one-component development agent having a main component of toner particles and a two-component development agent having two main components of toner particles and carrier particles. For both of the development agents, toner particles are contained in a toner container and are supplied in response to an amount of toner particles consumed in image forming.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary toner container 10 which is configured to contain toner particles. The toner container 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape and includes an opening 10a and a spiral groove 10b. The opening 10a is formed at an outer end of a thin neck projected from the toner container 10, from which the toner particles are discharged. The spiral groove 10b is formed inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the toner container across one end to the other end of the toner container.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary supporting mechanism 20 which includes a drive motor unit 21, a base plate 22, and a cap member 23. The drive motor unit 21 supports one end of the toner container 10 and drives it to rotate. When the toner container 10 is rotated, the toner particles container inside the toner container 10 are moved along the spiral groove in a rotational axis of the toner container 10. The base plate 22 and the cap member 23 are integrated in a single component. The base plate 22 includes a pair of rollers 22a for rotatably supporting the toner container 10 from below. The cap member 23 includes a closure 23a and a lock lever 23b. The closure 23a closes the opening 10a when the toner container 10 is set to a position in the supporting mechanism 20 such that one end of the toner container 10, having the opening 10a, is securely inserted to the cap member 23 after being placed on the base plate 22 and pushed towards the cap member 23. After that, the drive motor unit 21 is turned to a predetermined position to hold the other end of the toner container 10. After the toner container 10 is set to such a position, the lock lever 23b is turned to a lock position so that the toner container 10 is securely held by the supporting mechanism 20.
The cap member 23 includes a connecting member (not sown) which connects, through the closure 23a, the inside of the toner container 10 and a development mechanism of an image forming apparatus and transfers the toner particles in the toner container 10 to the development mechanism.
In the above-described mechanism, it is often not easy to cause the opening 10a to precisely meet its counter part of the closure 23a by pushing the toner container 10 from the other end thereof. In addition, it is also often caused that a vibration is generated at the end of the toner container 10 having the opening 10a due to a rotational torque given to the other end by the drive motor unit 21. Such a vibration may cause a problem in which the toner container 10 comes off from the closure 23a. 